Sixteen years after his fateful duel with Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi reflects upon a memento of his former student.

NOTE: This vignette takes place two years before ANH.

The weathered old man stood alone atop one of Tatooine's countless dunes. He was a dark silhouette against the brilliant magenta sky of the binary sunset - the planet's sole claim to natural beauty.

The wind, harbinger of the cold night air, whipped at the worn robes, savaged his hair and beard.

It was a terrible anniversary of a day sixteen years ago, when Obi-Wan Kenobi had stood alone, much as he was standing now, in the stifling heat of another harsh planet.

On that day, he had peered down over the rim of a huge crater into a churning, fiery hell.

Anakin had fallen despite Obi-Wan?s reaching out and grabbing his hand. Anakin, unable and unwilling to allow himself to be forgiven, had let go, plunging to his death.

Wave upon wave of unbearable agony battered his mind through the Force, the savage blows rendering him incapacitated and unconscious. When he had recovered several hours later, he had walked to the crater's edge, retrieving the object he now held in his hand:

Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber.

The weapon was all that remained of the man who had once been not only one of the galaxy's brightest stars, but a dear friend, the son or younger brother Kenobi had never known.

He knew that a half-human, half-mechanical Sith Lord, a creature of hatred, bitterness, and thirst for revenge now occupied what was left of Anakin's body. But Obi-Wan reminded himself that the monstrosity known as Vader was no longer Anakin, could not be. He refused to acknowledge it.

After retrieving Anakin's saber, he had gone to Padm?, now pregnant, to inform her that her children would never know their father. Such a burden only added to the agony with which Kenobi was overcome.

So many tragedies that fateful day. A man doomed to a fate worse than death; a once strong woman left devastated, never to recover; two children born into unspeakable danger from their father's evil Master.

Kenobi, the great Jedi warrior who had once defeated a Sith and who might have been a leader of the now-extinct Jedi Order, now stood alone. His friends were either dead or hidden far away for their protection. He was isolated on a desert planet, sent to watch over a young boy who could not yet watch over himself.

Luke was much like his father at that age: a brilliant, reckless pilot; an irrepressible dreamer; a naive idealist; a young man of incredible potential and destiny.

He looked again at the lightsaber, holding it with a combination of tenderness and reverence. The weapon was now all that remained of he who had once been a great man and would soon pass, through the will of the Force, to Anakin's son, again to be used for its intended purpose - defense against evil: to be the weapon of the first of the new Jedi.

The saber, like the boy, represented a new hope for the future. For Obi-Wan, who had long felt responsible for Anakin's demise, it held a chance for redemption. For the galaxy, it promised a much-needed glimmer in the darkness.

NOTE: much appreciated. Also, thanks to Cynical21 for a couple of ideas.

This story, while brief, was well written and seems like it would be very accurate if Lucas does indeed use the lava pit thing after all. The author is to be commended for the story's emotional content as it would seem to be a good representation of how Obi Wan must have felt. Good job.

Very nice. It seems as if you told the exact tale of what happened. I too wonder why Obi didn't involve himself sooner. The Way of the Force I guess. I'm looking forward to reading more of your work, thanks.

Hey I really liked your fanfic, it was well written and Obi Wan seemed like himself.

One thing I would have liked though was if when Obi Wan was thinking about when he grabbed Anakin/Vader's hand, and couldn't save him, maybe have a flashback to the death of fellow Jedi turned to the dark side, Bruk Chun, (Jedi Apprentice #7) when Obi Wan was trying to save him but couldnt get his hand, but I still enjoyed it alot...

Ah! I'd always wondered how it came about that Ben had Anakin's lightsaber, but never could come up with an idea that seemed to fit... Whether it turns out that way in the films or not, I congratulate you on a highly plausible reason, as well as an extremely well written vignette! :)

The best picture with a starwars theme i've ever seen. if it came in a poster i would be the first to buy a copy. I also think vader is by far the best person on starwars. Anyway love the picture the best i've seen.

This story was wonderful! It can be hard to pull people into a short story and make them want more, but you succeeded! I could feel the pain and the regret that Ben Kenobi must have felt, but also the optimism for the future embodied in Luke Skywalker as Ben watches over him. Nice job!

I couldn't have written it better myself. Great descriptive style! I actually imagined Obi-Wan (The old, Alec Guiness) standing and looking at the dual sunset of Tatooine, holding the saber that would someday be used by the son to fight the father at a place called Bespin. Great writing. This should be in a book.

I hope master Lucas reads this and takes you as his apprentice. You have captured the essence of Sir Alec Guiness' portrayal of "Ben" Kenobi in such a way as to explain it! I enjoy reading the "character fillers" as much as I enjoy the movies. You are as excellent as the author of the "Heir to the Empire" series. KEEP IT UP!!! I should hope to see a full book with your name on it, if not your name in the credits of Ep.3!!!

I've read this fanfic for the first time somewhere in august 2002 (when i first got an internet connection). and you know what...? i never forgot it. it was so artistically done (hail, thrawn!) and it explores the massive sense of failure that Obi must have felt in a very compelling manner. so now, when i registered, i thought i would let you know... albeit it's a bit late.you've really inspired me with this! thanks for sharing this great little tale with us!

I dislike assumptions that evil must be a choice lived through to an end without the ability to see learn error-of-ones-ways wisdom in time to back off. That disaster can happen /even after a point of recovery/ has been reached is also a great opportunity for unseen drama.

Probably because I look upon Anakin as a spoiled brat in need of a good trip behind the woodshed but not a pre-Vader monster which a powerful Jedi (pushing about 1,000lbs of battledroids in TPM's opening scene for instance) like Obiwan would _permit_ (or be required at allow) to fall to his death in some kind of Samurai Seppuku type ritual.

Call me pragmatic but the definition of 'intervention' is that you care more for someone's future than their past and certainly _More Than They Do For Either_. As such, I cannot help but wonder who's guilt Obiwan sunset vigil is assuaging if he let this event happen.

Though unrelated, I would also appreciate an insight as to why Obiwan is forced to remain hidden from Luke and specifically why Luke is allowed to grow so old without training when this is clearly a part of what tainted his father.

I did enjoy the sad drama but hope the writer will continue to expand more upon this 'interval between intervals' period that is the best description I have for the time after Anakin's Fall and Padme's end vs. the necessary windup of 'Episode 3.75'. A threat to the children's secrecy perhaps or a trip to Dagobah to consult with the old Master as an adolescent Leia/Luke become ever more headstrong and an ever Riskier Disturbance in the Force perhaps.

One last thing. The final paragraph needs to be cleaned up grammatically so that the reader can differentiate more readily between The Saber, Anakin and Luke in terms of 'he who owned', 'that which will be passed on', and 'the one who will inherit the wind'.

I really liked this story! I had never thought about the fact that Anakin's agony through the Force would be enough to knock Obi-wan out. I was very well written, and had captured Obi-wans saddness very well. Keep up the good work!

You captured Obi-Wan's feelings perfectly, and was very insightful. I thought it was interesting and very possible that the betrayal had been enough to render Kenobi unconcious. You did a beautiful job! MTFBWY

I enjoyed your fanfic. I like the way that you described Obi-Wan's inner turmoil and used Anakin's lightsaber as a symbol of what was lost. I hope that you write some more fanfic's if so I look foward to reading them. May the Force be with you!